Palau Seribu (AKA 1000 Islands) - Return to Pramuka Island

[kingwilly]

Most tourists to Jakarta may visit Sepa Island, linky However, I took a school group to Pramuka island again, which is not as well set up for tourists. (Though they would like to attract more tourists, obviously for $)

Sadly, many of my Indonesian Students said that this was the first time they had seen a sunset or stars.....



this island does have some nice coral reefs and a dive operator (not sure how many pax they have seen in the past year, possibly 5!)



The dive operators boat looks, well, would you go in it?



The writing on this boat in the Harbour says ecotourism, commendable, but, I don't see it...



This island had it's own school, hospital and mosque...

Releasing baby Turtles...

[Marmite the Dog]

Is that it?

[kingwilly]

nah, loads more pics coming when i get around to Bustafying them.

We chatted with the local head guy and he has decided to build another wharf on the other side of the island currently housing sea grass meadows (which happen to be good for the endangered sea turtles.)

When we pointed this out to him he replied that they dont care about sea grasses or the mangroves anymore as tourists only want to see coral reefs, so that is all they need. When one of my students replied with a comment along the lines of sea grasses provided habitats for small fish he replied with they dont need or want small fish only big ones!

I kid you not!

[Happyman]

he replied with they dont need or want small fish only big ones!

I kid you not!

So Where the F*ck do you get big fish if there are no small ones ?

Very sad

[kingwilly]

^ that's what i thought.

The local rangers were also proudly showing us the new jetski that they had bought. (out of their environmental budget) - the plan was to give tousits rides on it for money (presumably into their pockets) - they were proud as pigs in shit. apparently they had also bought a banana boat as well.

[Marmite the Dog]

loads more pics coming when i get around to Bustafying them.

When are going to 'Bustafy' the first lot?

[kingwilly]

^ alright, alright,

I'm not gonna post my pics anymore, cos ya keep making fun of me, and waiting on me mate to give me his!

[Marmite the Dog]

I can't believe you went away and didn't take a proper camera. At least you didn't miss the bus/boat/plane like you usually do.

[kingwilly]

I can't believe you went away and didn't take a proper camera.

It belongs to MrsKW now...

At least you didn't miss the bus/boat/plane like you usually do.

did i mention that i went straight from there to the airport for the footy game, and did nearly miss the plane?

[Marmite the Dog]

It belongs to MrsKW now.

Shall I ask her if it would've been ok for you to take it on the trip?

[kingwilly]

grayish days with light rain turned into some pretty sunsets

[kingwilly]

coral farming.

[kingwilly]

and mangrove plantations (all worth $)

[Happyman]

coral farming.

Thats an interesting one ( not that your others are not interesting - if you know what I mean !)

Tell us more - is it a close-up or an arial pic- who sponsors it etc etc etc

[kingwilly]

Its a pic out of the boat (i was in the water). Actually I was in the water and thought they were rehabilitating the reef, which although nice was in pretty crap condition, many broken corals etc.

There was loads and loads of these plastic frames holding small corals in plastic bottles or attached to concrete slabs.

But apparently they sell the corals, so these were coral farms placed on a close to destroyed reef.

In an effort to be mindful of conservation they have to rehabilitate 2 for every 8 they sell/take.

[MeMock]

I can't believe you went away and didn't take a proper camera.

It belongs to MrsKW now...

Have you not taught her how to share?

[buad hai]

Thanks for taking the time to post the pics and put up with the undue criticism....

[kingwilly]

Thanks for taking the time to post the pics and put up with the undue criticism....

cheers mate, i know it seems like i am drip feeding them, but waiting to get better pics from others, most of the ones i've got aint all that inspiring.

and frankly, having gone back this year, i can see a decline in the conservation efforts of the ppl, and its a little depressing...

[kingwilly]

The Rangers new Jetski - under the tarp, he is proudly explaining all about it
(money making enterprise and phallic symbol bought on government conservation money )

[kingwilly]

Samak Duan island, (an uninhabited island, except the one caretaker, who now has a cat!) last year they were just building this Jetty....





a lovely beach



and a close up of the sea grasses.



and now he/they have gone and planted about 1000 mangoves (all in the name of conservation and money.....) problem is that mangroves dont belong on this little island of 15 hectares, sandy beaches, seadrass meadows and unspoilt coral reefs.

The mangroves will cause mud to settle over the grasses and kill them all.

[kingwilly]

it was a bit rainy on one of the days...local transport.



counting and measuring the diversity of the seagrasses within the seagrass meadow.



a sea slug.



following a transect line underwater.



some of the coral



taking notes underwater





this is normal colour (no bustification)

Tell us more - is it a close-up or an arial pic- who sponsors it etc etc etc

some more pics of the coral farming...

[kingwilly]

coral farms in a minute, first some sunsets...

[kingwilly]

identifying marine life....




awesome coral



aaah, the coral farms...





plenty of fishes here.









Brain coral

[kingwilly]

hmmph, lucky i went to the effort to upload these latest pics....

[momo8]

Beautiful pics KingWilly,amazing corals and the size of that slug! Looks like a good place for a holiday destination.